Torpedo holder and exploder.



No. 674,052. Patented May I4, I90]. G. BACCI.

TURPEDO HOLDER AND EXPLUDER.

(Application filed Sept. 24, 1900.)

(No Model.)

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llnrrnn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAVO BACCI, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK CRANE, OFBLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

TORPEDO HOLDER AND EXPLODER.

SPECIFIGATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 674,052, dated May 14,1901. Application filed September 24, 1900. serial No. 80,941. (N del.)

To ttZL whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GUSTAVO BAOOI, a subject of the King of Italy,residing at 186 Spring street, in the city, county, and State of NewYork, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Torpedo Holders andExploders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and KO use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in torpedo holders and exploders;and it consists of a receptacle or cradle in which a torpedo is adaptedto be confined and caused to contact with a hard surface; and the objectof my improvement is to provide a compact and efficient holder andexploder for torpedoes which will obviate the necessity of throwing thesame upon the ground or other hard sur- 2o face and allowthetorpedo tobe exploded while being carried in the hand safely and conveniently.

\Vhile my invention is adaptable to any va riety or manner of torpedo,it is especially designed to accommodate and render more efticient thatspecies of torpedo known as the repeating torpedo, which is usuallyglobular in form and capable of successive detonations upon difierentparts of its surface.

I attain this object in the device illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is an elevational view of my invention;Fig. 2, a section of same on line 00 as of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a sideelevation of a modification, and Fig. 4: a section on line 3 y of Fig.3.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, A and B are blocks, which are connectedattheir four sides by strips or rods 0. The block A is made longer than Bto serve as a handle by which to grasp the holder. The blocks A and Bmay be of any desired shape; but I prefer to make them cylindrical inform. The rods 0 are attached to the blocks A and B by screws, glued, orotherwise securely united thereto, and form a cage or track in which theglobular torpedoes are adapted to be placed and allowed to be rolled orthrown from one end thereof to the other. One or more torpedoes may beused. The strips 0 may be made of such thinness that they may be sprungapart to allow of the extraction or insertion of a torpedo into thecage, or one of said strips may be removably attached to the blocks andremoved when desired.

In Fig. 1 two torpedoes D D are shown in the cage. This is a veryefficient arrangement, as the explosion of the torpedo striking theblocks A and B is each time supple- 6o mented by the explosion caused bythe two torpedoes striking together.

I provide a hard surface, preferably metal, on the inner surfaces of theblocks A and B, which metallic surface may be applied in any suitablemanner. The preferred method,however, is to drive an ordinary tack intothe inner surfaces of each of the blocks A and-B, the head of which tackconstitutes the hard metallic contacting surface desired. Such 7o tacksare shown in the drawings as E E.

In the modification shown in Figs. 3 and 4 I have substituted for one ofthe strips 0 a wire E, which I attach to the blocks B B by staples I Iand allow the wire F to slide in the staples and be withdrawnlongitudinally to allow of the insertion or extraction of a torpedo. Imay further provide a bent portion G of the wire F to facilitate thewithdrawal of the same. The strips 0 may be substituted 8o altogether bywires similar to F, three of which will, however, have to be rigidlysecured. The fourth may, however, be slidably mounted, as above stated.In this modification I also locate the handle H midway of the cage orreceptacle and at right angles thereto, attaching the same to one of thestrips 0. This arrangement I find is very efficient and convenient.

It is obvious that various changes in the construction and details of mydevice may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having now described the several parts of my invention, what I claim asmy invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with an explosive torpedo, a cradle thereforconsisting of thin longitudinal guide-strips connecting end pieceshaving hard inner contact-surfaces, substan- [O0 tially as described.

2. In combination with an explosive torpedo, a cradle thereforconsisting of springwires disposed longitudinally and connecting endpieces having hard inner contact-surfaces, substantially as described.

3. In combination with an explosive torpedo, a. cradle thereforconsisting of guidestrips and end pieces, metallic contact-surfacesprovided upon said end pieces equidistant from said guide-strips,substantially as described.

4.. In combination with an explosive torpedo, a cradle therefor,oppositely-disposed end pieces in said cradle, guide-strips connectingsaid end pieces, and a nail or tack driven into the inner surfaces ofsaid end pieces equidistant from said guide-strips, substantially asdescribed.

5. In combination with an explosive torpedo, a cradle therefor havingend pieces, guide-strips connecting said end pieces, and oneof saidguide-strips removably secured to said end pieces, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

6. In combination with an explosive torpedo, a cradle therefor,oppositely-disposed stop means therein and means for allowing theinsertion and Withdrawal of said torpedo,

substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

GUS'PAVO BACCI.

Witnesses:

D. W. MEEK, JAMES MOKAY.

